Rules and best practices
The questions that come up at every event — and the answers that keep you inside the law.
Running your event
Can I be partisan while doing this?
It depends on whose ground you are standing on. If a business, church, or other private property is letting you set up, be completely non-partisan — partisanship is what gets you asked to leave.
On a public sidewalk or in a public space, you can be partisan. The law allows it. So decorate the table and the signage with Democratic candidates and slogans. It works like bug spray: it repels Republicans from approaching the table.
Do I have to register someone I would rather not?
Yes. As a Deputy Voter Registrar you must register anyone who asks to fill out an application, however painful that is. What you control is where you set up — you do not have to go out of your way to find Republicans.
Where should I set up in a red county?
Go where our voters already are. The taqueria or the rib joint, not the Dairy Queen. The gay bar, not the fundamentalist church.
Can I challenge someone's eligibility?
No — and it is not a matter of taste. The applicant fills out the card and swears to the accuracy of every answer on it; that is the fine print above the signature. It is against the law for a deputy to challenge an applicant. There is a process for challenging eligibility, and only the registrar and the courts make that determination.
Who can register
Can someone who is unhoused, or who just moved here, register?
Yes. A person registers where they live. The address only has to be specific enough to identify the voting precinct. Someone living under the Ann Richards bridge over Town Lake in Austin has to say “south shore” or “north shore” — those are two different precincts. “The corner of 32nd and Avenue F” is a proper address.
The mailing address can be anywhere in the world.
How long do you have to live somewhere before you can register?
Thirty days. The registration deadline is also thirty days before the election, so anyone registering before the deadline meets the residency requirement.
What if they do not have a permanent address yet?
Ask where they slept last night. Residency under Texas law is intent to reside, so a person can register at the place they intend to live — even a vacant lot they plan to build on, or pitch a tent on.
My friend is in jail. Can he register and vote?
Yes, if he is being held on a pending charge or a misdemeanor — that is not a felony conviction. The jail can and should provide registration forms to people being held. They are also eligible to vote by mail, and some counties hold voting at the jail.
Can someone with a felony conviction register and vote?
Yes, once they have completed their probation, parole, or sentence. The phrase people use is “off paper,” so the question to ask is: “Are you off paper?” If the answer is yes, they can register and vote. It is automatic, and they do not need any documentation.